Smile New York Outreach’s Post

It's always a great day when we are able to bring smiles and good oral health where they are needed! Great work by the team of Dr. Debra Kennedy, Kathie Hulswitt, RDH, Nicole Dalian, DA + Donna Katou, dental team supervisor. CEO Steve Higginbotham was "schooled" in the latest shoe trends and other details of Kindergarten life. Happy smiles all around! #makingadifference

Let's take a moment to honor the unsung heroes of our schools - the dedicated school nurses! We're honored to partner with you in supporting your students' health and well-being. We're deeply grateful for everything you do. As we celebrate National School Nurse Day, we're reminded of the importance of access to quality dental care for all children. That's why Smile New York Outreach is dedicated to bringing essential dental services directly to schools, ensuring that underserved children have the opportunity to receive the care they deserve. To all the incredible school nurses out there, thank you for your never-ending dedication and hard work. You are truly making a difference in the lives of children, and we're honored to work with you. #HappyNationalSchoolNurseDay!

Despite available Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) resources for oral health care, researchers have identified several barriers that exist for Medicaid beneficiaries attempting to access oral health services. Nationally, one major barrier cited to accessing oral health care was low dentist participation in Medicaid. Enrollment in Medicaid, however, did not ensure that dentists actually treated Medicaid beneficiaries, with many dentists enrolled in Medicaid but providing a minimum amount or no services to Medicaid beneficiaries. An in-school dental program can help bridge the gap, but we need to find ways to make Medicaid more economically viable for dentists so we can increase accessibility for this underserved population.

The role of a school principal has evolved significantly over time. Beyond traditional education, schools now play a crucial role in addressing health-related issues. We are proud to partner with innovative principals across the country who recognize the value of an in-school dental program to ensure students stay healthy and in school learning. Thank you, principals, for your dedication to the holistic well-being of our students! #HappySchoolPrincipalsDay

This is just the kind of poignant story we hear all too often. Imagine, a young child earnestly saving the money left to him by the toothfairy to help buy a car. To lighten the load for underserved families, the Smile New York Outreach mobile dental program provides care to children at school. No special transportation needed. We are honored to provide this peace of mind to parents.

Comments like these make our day as we strive to fulfill our mission to bring smiles and good oral health where they are needed. "I just wanted to share how much our parents and school community appreciate the service you provide for our students! So many parents were absolutely grateful for the dental services! We send you a HUGE THANK YOU for your valuable partnership! THRIVING Together." - Ms. Julien | Director, Community and Parent Engagement The Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School

This is why we do what we do: “I have seen this student grow as a patient of our school-based dental program from elementary school to a 10th grader in high school. This is a testament of how valuable our services are.” - Regina Stevens-Smith, RDH #NationalDentalHygienistsWeek